WagonCon Launches in The Dalles, Bringing Gamers Together for Weekend Convention
By Joshuah Albert
The Dalles, Ore. May 4, 2024 — This weekend, The Dalles Civic Auditorium is hosting WagonCon, a gaming convention that brings together enthusiasts from around the Columbia Gorge region. The event, organized by first-time host Kendra Behn Smith, runs from Friday through Sunday, providing a diverse array of gaming activities and vendor opportunities.
WagonCon, held annually during the first full weekend of May, is designed to promote community, creativity, literacy, and education through gaming. The convention features a broad selection of games including tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), board games, card games, and miniature games. Popular titles such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and Warhammer 40K are among the highlights.
Attendees can participate in games hosted by experienced game masters, some of whom bring elaborate custom maps and boards to enhance the experience. To join the games, participants must purchase a badge for $55, which grants access to any available game table throughout the convention.
In addition to gaming, the convention also hosts a variety of vendors selling miniatures, sculptures, dice, and more, catering to all gaming needs.
Organized by first-time host Kendra Behn Smith, she reflects on her lifelong passion for board games and role-playing games, and expressed her vision for the event: “I just want gamers to have a safe and friendly place to meet each other and play games.” Having rekindled her love for Dungeons & Dragons during the onset of COVID-19, Smith is enthusiastic about creating a welcoming environment for gamers.
WagonCon aims not only to offer entertainment but also to support local communities and businesses in the Columbia Gorge area, aligning with its mission to foster meaningful community connections through gaming.
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